National Institute of Japanese Literature

The National Institute of Japanese Literature (国文学研究資料館, Kokubungaku Kenkyū Shiryōkan), or NIJL, was established in May 1972. Its primary purpose is to preserve manuscripts and books relating to the study of Japanese literature. Original texts and microfilms of these originals are stored in the institute's archives, although a project is underway to make digital copies of all these materials. The NIJL provides several useful tools for the scholar of Japanese literature, including a compilation of research published yearly in the journal Kokubungaku Nenkan (国文学年刊). It has also developed several on-line databases.